3 schools ripped me off in Poznan...luckily they were never my main employers. It was never resolved. I know 1 teacher who turned up with a 'minder' and frog marched the owner to an ATM. It's common practice in all businesses, but especially in Poland. When you only make 6-8 hundred quid not getting paid is quite serious is it not?

I've fallen foul of this a few times. In the first case I helped myself to as much of the meagre staff library as I saw fit, while the boss watched on. I told her I'd happily bring the books back when she paid me, but she never did. Years on, I'm still not sure what to do with all these copies of English File...

A few years later, a school specialising in corporate classes tried to do the same thing. I took it as far as I could through the proper channels (written requests, warnings) before I contacted the client and warned them I wouldn't be able to continue. When they heard that I hadn't been paid they went mental and threatened to sever the contract with the school, who subsequently paid out quickly.

I've fallen foul of this a few times. In the first case I helped myself to as much of the meagre staff library as I saw fit, while the boss watched on. I told her I'd happily bring the books back when she paid me, but she never did. Years on, I'm still not sure what to do with all these copies of English File...

A few years later, a school specialising in corporate classes tried to do the same thing. I took it as far as I could through the proper channels (written requests, warnings) before I contacted the client and warned them I wouldn't be able to continue. When they heard that I hadn't been paid they went mental and threatened to sever the contract with the school, who subsequently paid out quickly.

Personally, I've always been paid on time by Eng schools. Once, a production company dragged their feet about paying me for a 2-second TV appearance I'd made. A couple (fairly polite) emails of request and a phone call took care of it.

There were a few senior Polish teachers of Eng at a school in Gdansk who had their wages cut and hours reduced because of 'hard times'. They quit. But before they left they locked themselves in after the school closed and had a 'photocopy party'. They photocopied teaching materials for hours until they ran out of toner and paper. (i know because there was none left when I came in for my 1-2-1 the next morning.)